


The Guide To Loving Your Best Friend

by FallingInAForest



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Awkward Rich whom i love, Bisexual Jeremy Heere, Crushing, F/M, Friendship, Gay Michael Mell, High School, Jeremy is Jenna's sidekick gossiper, M/M, Pining, possibly one-sided
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-20 08:37:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13713981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallingInAForest/pseuds/FallingInAForest
Summary: When Jeremy Heere realizes that he is falling for his best friend, Michael Mell, he is at a loss for what to do. When you fall for someone else, things are easier. There's less risk. But when it's your Best friend, there's more to it than that, and Jeremy needs to figure out the rules and the tricks to it before it's too late and he let's his secret slip out.





	1. Spacing Out

**Author's Note:**

> A new story while I have so many unfinished fanfics? Yup, that sounds exactly like me. In fact, I'm in the middle of 3 new ones, have ideas for 4 more new ones on top of those, and am in the middle of chapters for 4 of the ones I already have out. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one! Even though it seems like a cliche that you can write easily, I did put a lot of thought into it.

  
There were countless websites and formulas regarding falling in love, Jeremy would know. He checked. But there weren't any that answered his question: How do you deal with falling in love with your best friend?  
  
This type of thing happened so much Jeremy wanted to punch himself for being so cliche, but even with this trope, nobody has figured it out yet. There wasn't a guide or a how-to, forcing Jeremy to figure it all out for himself.  
  
"Hey, Jeremy, what's your mind going on about today?" Michael asks, fiddling with the controller, noticing that Jeremy spaced out yet again.  
  
"Aliens," Jeremy fibs, fiddling with his controller as well.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Michael asks, starting another level of the game they were playing. "What about aliens?"  
  
"Do you think aliens have superpowers?" Jeremy asks, carrying on a usual conversation with his best friend. Because there's the thing about falling for your best friend: they're your best friend still, so sometimes you can hang out with them as if you didn't like them in that way, and other times you go in knowing you're talking to your crush.  
  
"Duh," Michael says, his eyebrows burrowing and his body leaning forward on the beanbag in order to focus to excel at the game. "Otherwise, they'd be kind of lame. Right?"  
  
"Totally," Jeremy agrees, watching Michael rather than the game itself. Today, Jeremy was going back and forth, one minute carrying a regular conversation and the next unable to stop staring at the headphone-wearing bafoon next to him.  
  
"Going to the party this Saturday?" Michael asks after the previous conversation died out.  
  
To that, Jeremy laughed and play-punched Michael in the arm, "As if."  
  
"I'll tell you what. Since they don't invite totally cool guys like us to their super lame party's, I'll throw one of my own and not invite any of them," Michael declares, setting down the controller to take a sip of Pepsi Crystal.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Jeremy says, rolling his eyes and setting down his controller as well. "Who would you invite?"  
  
"Only the coolest guys I know," Michael says, a smile forming on his face. "It'll just be me and you."  
  
And Jeremy would never admit it, but the way Michael phrased that maybe sort of made his heart skip a beat. Just the two of them.  
  
"You're probably just saying that I'm cool so I'll forget about the five bucks you owe me," Jeremy says, shifting in his seat so his sudden smitteness wasn't observed. Jeremy had never understood why crushes were supposed to be embarrassing, if everyone was so happy for couples, but now that he had one of his own, he understood completley.  
  
"Dude, you are cooler than a vintage cassette," Michael argues with a smile before grabbing his controller again, ready to start another round. "Honestly, you're so cool you're... crispy."  
  
"I just wish everyone else saw me that way," Jeremy mutters, his own controller returning to his hands.  
  
"I guess I see you differently than everyone else," Michael observes with a shrug, pressing play.  
  
And that made Jeremy smile. He could feel his cheeks going red, but he didn't care. Michael had a way with saying things like that that made Jeremy know exactly how he had fallen for him.  
  
"Seriously though, how about Saturday we hang out again? This time there'll be pizza," Michael offers once more, with a smile of his own.  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Jeremy agrees, instantly regretting saying so, as to him it sounded completely cringey.  
  
"Sweet," Michael says and his smile expands, as though he accomplished a goal of his or something of the sort. Jeremy always liked it when Michael smiled.  
  
The thing was that Jeremy wasn't after someone who could never like him, as Michael was indeed very gay, but that didn't make the possibility for a relationship between the two any greater. It was highly likely that Michael was one of those people that was completely against dating or even merely thinking about liking a friend. Besides, who would like someone like Jeremy anyway?  
  
-O-  
  
The next day, Jeremy found himself at a loss of what to do with himself, as Michael felt too sick to come to school. By sick, Jeremy assumed he was referring to Michael's legendary migraines, that sometimes got so bad he'd pass out.  
  
Obviously, Jeremy wouldn't want Michael to come to school when he felt like shit, but that didn't mean it didn't suck to be all alone at school, which most teenagers used as a synonym for Hell.  
  
"Move it, tall ass," Jeremy heard, instantly knowing who the voice belonged to: Rich Goranski.  
  
"I'm not even that tall," Jeremy counters, questioning the bully's nickname for him.  
  
"First of all, if you were on my level and I was on yours, you'd think differently," Rich argues, not that he's short, but-  
  
Okay, he is short. Let's admit it, "Second of all, you would be if you didn't slouch all the time."  
  
"Are you trying to bully me or give me advice?" Jeremy asks, confused.  
  
"God Dammit, Jeremy, next time don't question your nickname, punkass. Just let a bully be a bully," Rich complains, walking away.  
  
Rich always acted that way, as if he wasn't one of the kids that just fit ito a particular group, but as though he was one who actively chose which one he was in. And of course, he chose the popular group that wasn't shy about picking fun at any and everyone.  
  
The thing that nobody bothered to know was that Jeremy remembered Rich from before he changed. He was scrawny back then, lacking the muscle he had picked up, and he also had had a very distinct lisp. Now, he seemed to have the confidence Jeremy could only dream of having.  
  
And that's when Jeremy ran into Christine. It was always odd seeing her, as Jeremy used her as a cover-up when he was questioning things. In the end, he realized that he was bisexual, but did not in fact like Christine. As a friend, however, Jeremy could see them getting along nicely.  
  
"Sorry!" She hastily yells, immediately bending down to pick up the papers she dropped.  
  
As any decent person would, Jeremy bent down as well, and handed her the papers, which looked like scripts, "Oh, are play rehearsals coming up?"  
  
Christine eagerly nodded, slightly surprised Jeremy would entertain the conversation she was always ready to have, "Yeah, they're next week. If you're even a little interested, you should try out!"  
  
Jeremy thought for a moment, before nodding, "I'll think about it."  
  
When they stand up, Christine excitedly hugs Jeremy for a quick second, and says, "If you do you won't regret it."  
  
Before Jeremy can reply, Christine checks the time on her phone, and hastily says, "Oh my. I've gotta go. Hope to see you then!"  
  
And with that, she scurries off in the direction of Mr. Reyes' classroom, leaving Jeremy to head to his own class.  
  
"Okay class, today we are going to talk about the idea of admitting things, and what causes people to do so," The teacher says once the bell rings.  
  
This was Jeremy's weirdest class, an off brand mixture of Psychology and Human Relations that he was thrown into because all of the other classes were full first hour.  
  
But the prompt made him think about the time he came out to Michael, because it had gotten to the point that keeping that part of him from Michael was too much. Jeremy was nervous, even though Michael and him had been best friends since kindergarten, which was yet another cliche.  
  
_Jeremy had invited Michael to hang out, but not at either of their houses like usual, but at the park, because if things went badly, Jeremy didn't want Michael to storm out of Jeremy's house or kick Jeremy out of his, so somewhere in the middle was the best substitute._  
  
_When they arrived and sat down at an old picnic table, they chatted like usual, but Jeremy couldn't stop shaking his leg, too nervous about what he was going to do. He was aware that he was going to back out if he didn't do something, so he said, "I have to tell you something," breaking off their conversation about something silly: a competition of raspberries versus blueberries._  
  
_And when Jeremy threw out that 6 word phrase that solidified his having to come out, Michael looked at Jeremy sincerely, "Then I have something to be told."_  
  
_"Yeah, I guess you do," Jeremy said, but didn't continue, attempting to stall. This was his moment, but he'd rather not have it._  
  
_"Or do I have something to guess?" Michael asked, understanding that sometimes the thing you have to say doesn't want to be said._  
  
_"Did you... get bitten by a radioactive squirrel and now have totally cool superpowers, like actually being able to climb up trees?" Michael asked, referring to an unfortunate time where Jeremy had attempted to climb up a tree in 4th grade, but faceplanted instead, and nearly broke his nose._  
  
_"Ha ha, very funny," Jeremy said in response, the humor easing his fear, which looking back was probably Michael's real aim._  
  
_Then Michael gasped, and looked to his right and left before whispering, "Are we being followed? By the government?"_  
  
_"Okay fine, fine, I'll tell you," Jeremy had said, taking a deep breath._  
  
_"You will?" Michael asked after a pause._  
  
_"Yeah, yeah, I will."_  
  
_"Okay..."_  
  
_"I promise."_  
  
_"You don't have to if you don't want to, Jer."_  
  
_"No, I will. Right now," Jeremy said, not letting himself back out. Now or never. "So, I kind of sort of like guys. And girls."_  
  
_Looking back, you'd expect that to be the moment Michael came out too, but he didn't. Instead he nodded, and said, "Okay."_  
  
_Jeremy looked at him confused, and repeated, "Okay?"_  
  
_"Yeah," Michael said. "I could go on a huge spiel about how you will always be my best friend, and how I'm glad you told me, and how that doesn't change anything, but I know you don't like cheesy things, so..."_  
  
_"Dammit Michael, I'm actually lactose intolerant, not metaphorically," Jeremy said, cracking a smile before lightly punching Michael in the arm._  
  
_"I bet it goes both ways," Michael said with a shrug and a smile._  
  
_Of course, that was the perfect opportunity for Jeremy to make a bi joke, but he figured against it. Michael was still his best friend, and that was enough for him. He'd rather not push his luck._  
  
_It wasn't until the next day that Michael unexpectedly showed up at Jeremy's door._  
  
_"I have something to tell you too," He had said._  
  
_"Yeah?" Jeremy asked._  
  
_"I like guys too,"_  
  
_"And girls?" Jeremy wondered in response._  
  
_"Nope,"_  
  
_"Okay," Jeremy said with a smile, mimicking Michael's response to his coming out._  
  
_"Okay?" Michael repeated, mimicking the moment as well with a smile._  
  
Before Jeremy could reminisce on the rest of it, something interrupted his train of thought. Surprisingly, it wasn't the bell or the teacher yelling at hm, but instead it was his phone vibrating in his pocket.  
  
Slyly, he pulled out his phone and looked at the message. It was a picture of Michael with a weak smile. Under the picture was a message.  
  
_Here's your daily dose of doctor-prescribed Michael_.  
  
That made Jeremy smile, and he went to type up a reply. Before he could, however, another two messages appeared. The first one was another picture of Michael, mid-sneeze. The following text read:  
  
_Frick. You took two doses! The following side-effects may occur: Death, Paralysis, or Uncontrollable Happiness._  
  
And that only made Jeremy's grin grow wider.  
  
_Dammit! I got the "uncontrollable happiness"_  
  
After replying, he returned his phone to his pocket, not wanting to get in trouble, especially in this class of all classes.  
  
-O-  
  
"Psst, Jeremy," a voice called when he was exiting the school building.  
  
"What?" Jeremy whispered in return, searching for the owner of the voice.  
  
Finally, he found the culprit: Jenna Rolan, who waved him over.  
  
Interested in what she could possibly want from him, Jeremy walked over to her.  
  
She dragged Jeremy out of the view of the exiting students, and then said in a hushed voice, "I need you to be my second set of ears."  
  
"What does that even mean?" Jeremy countered, confused.  
  
"Oh, God, I'm totally going to regret this," Jenna said with a sigh. "I need new gossip. And it has to be fresh. I'm afraid that the populars are too predictable now, so the masses are the ones with the juicy secrets."  
  
"What kind of secrets?"  
  
"As a newbie, I'll let you start out with the basics. What guys like what girls. What girls like what guys. Who's cheating on who, that kind of stuff," Jenna clarified.  
  
"What about what guys like what guys?" Jeremy asked.  
  
"Oh my God. I knew I chose you for a reason. If you could sniff out the gays in our school, now _that_ would be juicy," Jenna said, getting excited.  
  
"If I hear anything, I guess I'll tell you, but I don't promise that I'll actively search for information," Jeremy says with a shrug.  
  
And that was how Jeremy Heere partnered up with the biggest gossip in school, Jenna Rolan. 


	2. Overhearing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy texts his pal Michael, and overheard an interesting conversation in Target.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter got a lot of love! Which makes me happy! Sadly, this chapter is shorter, but still necessary. Hope you enjoy!

_Christine was wondering if I was going to try out for the spring play. Yay or nay?_ -Jeremy  
  
Jeremy texted Michael once he got home. With the mention of Christine, a fine detail was brought to Jeremy's attention once more: He maybe sort-of hadn't told Michael that he was lying about having a crush on Christine.  
  
Was that bad? Maybe. Jeremy didn't want to bring it up though, because as long as it looked like his heart was already occupied, there was no way Michael could come to the conclusion that Jeremy was falling for him more and more every day.  
  
This was the thing Jeremy had never understood about crushes: If you liked the person, then why be embarrassed? But now that Jeremy was in this type of situation, he realized why people felt that way, but even so the reasoning was still indescribable.  
  
_Definitely!! But only if you're up for it. I know I'd be in the audience if you were there._ -Michael  
  
Jeremy looked at the text and couldn't help but to wonder if there were conclusions that could be drawn from it. Obviously, it was because they were best friends that Michael would say that he'd be in the audience for him, but sometimes it's easier to dream, and Jeremy was very familiar with that option.  
  
_We'll see..._ -Jeremy  
  
_Anything else of interest happen during your day?_ -Michael  
  
_Jenna Rolan asked me to be her "second set of ears" or whatever, so that's something. You?_ -Jeremy  
  
_Woah. I don't know what that means, but that sure sounds like something. As for me, I've been living in a sick man's paradise._ -Michael  
  
_Shitty day?_ -Jeremy  
  
"Jeremy!" His dad called, just as another text came in from Michael.  
  
_What? Nooo. Of course not. What's better than puking, sneezing, and sleeping all day?_ -Michael  
  
"What?" Jeremy called in response, sending a text of his own.  
  
_Damn. You're right. Every man's dream._ -Jeremy  
  
"Can you run a couple of errands for me? I would, but-" His dad began to say, but was cut off by Jeremy.  
  
"But you don't have pants on yet. Got it. Where to?" Jeremy asked hastily. He loved his dad. He really did. However, his dad was very... strange. Especially after Jeremy's mom left.  
  
_Totally._ -Michael  
  
"Target. We need tissues and band aids," He elaborated.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Okay." Jeremy said, grabbing his converse, ready to leave.  
  
-O-  
  
When Jeremy arrived, he lazily looked through some of the aisles before reaching the aisle with the band aids. He studied the bandaids, and then decided on getting one pack of generic bandaids and one of ninja turtle bandaids just for the heck of it.  
  
Since he didn't find a cart necessary for just a couple items, he carried them as he walked to the aisle where the tissues were located. But when he reached to grab them, he heard familiar voices from the neighboring aisle, and couldn't help but to eavesdrop.  
  
"Cut it out. We aren't together anymore. So why'd you call me up?" One of the voices asked, in a frustrated tone that Jeremy recognized as Jake's voice.  
  
"I have to tell you something," The other member of the conversation stated, the token phrase to make a conversation serious.  
  
"Madeline, if this is your way of saying you want to get back together or whatever, you can stop. I'm with Chloe now," Jake said with a sigh, as if she pulled this type of thing frequently.  
  
"Jake. I took a pregnancy test last night," Madeline says, wiping the annoyed look off of Jake's face, replacing it with a surprised expression. Honestly, Jeremy was shocked he had come across a conversation like this, and couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
  
"You did what?" Jake says, hoping he misheard her.  
  
"It might not be accurate," Madeline says. "But there were two lines."  
  
With that, Jeremy heard a deep inhale of air, as if Jake was contemplating how to handle the situation.  
  
"Okay. I'll tell Chloe, and then I'll go with you to get the real results," He finally says, surprisingly rational for a teenager.  
  
"No, you can't tell anyone," Madeline pleads. "Wait until we know for sure, to save us both the embarrassment."  
  
For a moment, there is a pause, "Okay. Fine. We'll wait."  
  
Ad the conversation comes to an end, Jeremy realizes that he should probably get out of there in the least inconspicuous way possible, so it didn't look like he was eavesdropping. Then again, that was exactly what he was doing. But his fight or flight reaction (definitely flight, by the way) was put to the test, and he grabbed the first box of tissues he could and got the heck out of there.  
  
-O-  
  
_Good news!! The sickness is fading._ -Michael  
  
_So you'll be at school tomorrow?_ -Jeremy  
  
_Well, Wednesday's are my favorites..._ -Michael  
  
_Thank goodness for that._ -Jeremy  
  
_Oh? Did you... miss me?_ -Michael  
  
_Miss you? Pffft._ -Jeremy  
  
Jeremy typed that last reply out with a smile on his face, which had a light shade of pink to reflect his feelings.  
  
Of course Jeremy missed Michael, even though it had only been a day since he last saw him. First of all, they were best friends, so Jeremy related to Michael the most out of anyone. Secondly, it didn't hurt that Michael was very cute in Jeremy's opinion. Not just appearance wise, but also with the little things he said or did.  
  
Often times, Jeremy wished he could be as thoughtful as Michael, who would know exactly what to say when Jeremy was down, while Jeremy was left wwith out a clue in the world as to what to say to cheer him up, resulting in Jeremy sending pictures of beautiful skies and leaves to Michael, in hopes that somehow that would suffice.  
  
At times like those, Jeremy wished life came with instructions. Jeremy always worked better with a game plan, but life was a guessing game, without a manual.  
  
When Jeremy was younger, he had proclaimed to his parents (way back when the s was still relevant) that he would write a book about his life. The thought was that people could learn from his mistakes and benefit from the things he did right in life.  
  
It's funny how little kids can be so insightful, knowing exactly what they want to do with their long lives, without any doubt, making everyone wonder how they'll turn out. But teenagers were the opposite, and never knew what to do, feeling like they are always thrown into situations without knowing the rules.  
  
Which of course made Jeremy think of the conversation he heard in Target, of all places, between Madeline and Jake, who could be parents soon enough. Their whole lives could change, and the world would keep turning at the same pace for everyone else. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what'd you think? Opinions change? Opinions formed? Please tell me below!

**Author's Note:**

> So? Is this too generic or is there hope for it to blossom into something beautiful? You decide, with just one quick comment!


End file.
